i surely am not one to dissuade or even discourage the use of nudity in order to sell anything but i wonder about the effectiveness of such transparent tactics to sell these shoes. again, happy to be looking at over-designed tits but somebody should perhaps pay attention to the design of the shoes which currently look like payless.

the prada book, meant to showcase polymorphous creativity, is all kinds of nonsense. $150 for imagery that is neither original at this point or even transcendent of the brand is fucking highway robbery for a house that really needs to look at itself with a better set of eyes than that of impressed outsiders looking in. where are the roots? where are the risks? where are the clothes?!

just learned of lee mcqueen’s passing, from apparent suicide at his london home, and i am not quite sure why i feel so sad… is it because he was, in fashion terms, a loud voice that yelled out the learned rules and did what he thought was true? maybe. is it because it is shocking that a 40 year-old man at the height of his talent and success could see no other way out of his quiet misery? probably. a little over a week ago, his mother died, and, as i have heard some people do, he wept for her. still, as if insta-psychiatry it provides might be enough, he tweeted “but life must go on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” apparently, he had a change of heart. what is it that happens which leads one to consider that way out. we have manufactured systems so deep in order for us to feel comfortable in our own lives that it suddenly becomes impossible to cope with the infinite layers of pain once the we take a peek behind whatever curtain you have drawn to achieve aforementioned bliss. this is crazy. rest in peace mr. mcqueen.

french connection uk, they of fcuk fame, have just launched a new campaign highlighting their new principled spokesperson, the man. designed to be one i would want to be, the one that, as a french man myself, i should probably be had i not be thrown away from the country 20 years ago for lack of smoking, eating red meat and not relying on either lunch or history to build self-esteem. of course, i can’t help but be reminded of the dos equis campaign and, antithetically, of the dumb man wave that is slowly sweeping over us. where are we men going? should we aspire for inexplicable smugness or simply do what we’re told in the hope of a reward? as someone for whom advertising is gospel, i feel confused, you know, just like when you read the real bible. (via animal)

you know, for once, i was going to give the campana brothers and moss a pass on this one. fact is, stitching hundreds of lacoste crocodiles together into a shirt is pretty fucking cool and i wouldn’t mInd gett… SAY WHAT?!!! $5000? FIVE FUCKING THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A T-SHIRT YOU DEVOLVED MARKETERS OF OVER-DESIGNED MOUNTAIN GOAT SHIT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IS THIS WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING NOW YOU BLOATED SELF-IMPORTANT SKULL-FUCKERS OF TASTE AND DIGNITY?! EXCUSE ME? FOR THAT PRICE, IT’S ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL?!!???!!! SO, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, “LAURA” CAN’T GET ONE OF THESE TO CONGRATULATE HERSELF AFTER HAVING BLOWN HER STICKING RICH HUSBAND INTO GIVING A BILLION DOLLARS TO CHARITY THIS YEAR BECAUSE SHE COULDN’T LOSE ALL THE BABY WEIGHT AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO THE TRIPLETS? REALLY, THIS IS IT? THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE DOING NOW? AND YOU DARE DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCT WITH A LONG DESCRIPTION ABOUT HOW THESE $5000 T-SHIRTS WERE MADE BY A COOPERATIVE OF CRAFTSWOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT COOPA-ROCA, A WORK COOPERATIVE IN BRAZIL WHO PROBABLY CHARGED YOU $50 PER SHIRT WHICH YOU ARE NOW SELLING WHAT? FOR FIVE FUCKING DOLLARS!!!! IS THIS POSSIBLE? IS THIS EVEN HAPPENING??!?!?!!?!!?!…

the french are so good at this! in order to promote their new website, the tackylicious frenchartofloving.com, lingerie powerhouse aubade set up a softly backlit window, easily gawkable from the street, behind which a few girls took their time to get dressed, undressed, play games, you know, what women do all day long, in france. very cute way to get attention. and not at all demeaning.

why is it that when brands talk about heritage, it is ever solely in regards to campaigns or brand identity but never the product of their labor? are we sick yet of luxury outfits bamboozling us into perceiving them one way or another, depending on the season, but giving the clothes the shaft in terms of fitting within that vision? i am. exception made for tom ford’s tenure, of course… does the designer who wants to praise the 60s, as gucci does now, actually research stitch patterns, fabrics, fit in order to make the clothes feel like they belong within the homaged era or is it just the black and white archival photography? my fear and disappointment is that it is the latter, leaving us to imbue mere bullied feelings into the clothes, you know, what they ask money for. it’s not enough.

the wonderfully expressive portfolio of aneta bartos reminds me of the inimitable (under penalty of child pornography laws) photographer david hamilton or the sublime cowboy kate by the late sam haskins. her way of looking at life is old-fashioned in all the right ways. sure, the vintage grading adds to the mood but i’m talking more about the poses, the choices of models, the clothes, the locations, all conspiring to making images that stick, if for a moment, in a world of photography that favors ephemera over meaning. beautiful.

when rem koolhaus designs his own flagship for united nude, you expect it to be something for a shoe store, a change of paradigm, if you will. no such thing here unfortunately. unlike what newson did for alaïa, which conjures up worship, the dutch master just succeeds in designing a passable experience.

i so wish that this was a fake, that way i wouldn’t be panting with envy at the interaction, the organic nature of this new blue bell fashion site by swedish wunderkinds kokokaka. it’s not fair, i thought we made a deal god! come on!!!

i’ve run it before and i’ll run it again until you get out that discover card and add to cart. created and run by theaptFRIEND sweetu patel, c’h’c’m’ will be your clothing store if you reject prada as a multinational fraud bent more on profit than genuine quality and dismiss opening ceremony as mere opening act. good for you, join us. welcome.

got some extra cash when you returned this? then go ahead and fearlessly dive into the sensical world of goldenfiddle who has made available a collection of posters and tshirts that absolutely do not ask the cinematic question, what would you do? but instead challenge you to test your friend’s image-based error message knowledge, an equally demanding quest that surely will be the best gift at that bris you’re reluctantly attending this weekend. quick, to your paypal!

ok, if i said anything disparaging about pretentious fashion films in the past, i will now have to swallow, pride and all, those comments because i just watched yang fudong’s first spring for prada and it was just enchanting. not only is the mix of traditional and modern garb transitioned to perfection but the direction, score and nonsense is potent to the brand in a way their clothes haven’t been for years. not especially something to be happy about but certainly, it was a pleasure for my eyes and ears.